Harbaugh: Gore not 100-percent healthy

Harbaugh: Gore not 100-percent healthy

SANTA CLARA -- There were a lot of questions for coach Jim Harbaugh on Monday, the day after the 49ers' 21-19 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.Harbaugh was short on answers, but he disclosed running back Frank Gore is banged-up.Gore's health was the reason he carried just 10 times for 72 yards on Sunday. Gore has not missed a game, but he has played through two ankle sprains this season. Gore has been the workhorse for the team with 234 rushing attempts this season for 1,054 yards. He also has 16 receptions."He's got some things," Harbaugh said. "He's not 100 percent. And we have other backs who got carries in the second half."Gore and Kendall Hunter had just three rushing attempts apiece in the second half. Gore had two rushes after he scored on a 37-yard touchdown run to open the second half.Harbaugh said the club has talked about using third-string running back Anthony Dixon in short-yardage and red-zone situations. When asked why it hasn't materialized, he answered, "Well, it hasn't."And that began Harbaugh on a thought about dealing with all the questions that arise after a loss, such as the one the 49ers sustained on Sunday."Hey, look, we know there are going to be criticisms," he began. "We know there are going to be 'Whys?' What happened? What took place? Why didn't you do this? Why didn't you do that? Why didn't you throw the ball here? Who's your go-to guy? We're not going to talk about it. We're going to talk about it to our players, to our team. And make a real effort as always do, every single day, this is what we do. We try to address problems and get them fixed. (They're) smart guys. We got those as coaches. We got those as players. And we work together to get it fix."We'll take on those problems. These are strong men. They're strong-willed men. They're smart men. And you confront them head on."You've raised the expectations bar with the 10-2 start, so that's part of the deal, isn't it?
"That's part of the deal," Harbaugh said. "There's no question about it. Our team won the division. You're the hunted now. You're not the hunter, as much. You got a target on your back. They want to beat you. That's raised. Not saying it wasn't like that before but that expectation, that bar, is raised. We're in a position that we're in. We got three games left and we control our destiny, in terms of making the playoffs, positioning, momentum, the best it can possibly be for us."You talk about the game. It was well-competed. I thought our guy was ready. They had an excellent week of practice. They fought very hard in this game. Made opportunities for our team to win this game. Never comes down to one thing. Never comes down to one player, one play call, one example. You have to fight through and overcome."Yes, there are things we're going to turn in (officiating questions to the league office) and ask about. Things when you look at and think that really changed the course of the game."Larry Grant gets called for a personal foul, roughing the passer, when he was cut and got back up and hit the quarterback. It looked to be in the thigh. OK, you understand how that could be called. We had the same things happen to Alex (Smith). On the pass right before the fake field goal. Defender gets cut, he gets back up and lunges into Alex's knee, no flag. All those things lead to big swings. That would've been a first down, we still had the ball. Larry's penalty gives them a first down, which leads to a touchdown. But it's not one thing. It's not one play, it's not one turn of events. Not one player, not one coach." Left tackle Joe Staley sustained his apparent concussion on the 49ers' first play of the game when his head hit the knee of Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell on an attempted cut block.Staley got up and was clearly woozy. But he remained the game for another seven snaps until he was shaken up again.When asked why Staley did not come out of the game immediately, Harbaugh said the sideline did not know Staley had sustained a head injury."He didn't realize how hurt he was," Harbaugh said. "You don't always know as a football player, how dinged up you are. . . . (The) player has to show signs he's hurt for the doctors and trained professionals to see that. It's got to be communicated by the player, and sometimes you don't know."Staley was spotted in the locker room, and he appeared to be in good spirits. Staley did not conduct his weekly radio show on 95.7 The Game. Alex Boone, who took over at left tackle on Sunday, filled in on the radio, too.

Staley sits out 49ers practice with hamstring injury

Staley sits out 49ers practice with hamstring injury

SANTA CLARA – Left tackle Joe Staley, who has not missed a game since 2010, did not practice Thursday due to a hamstring injury.

The 49ers’ five-time Pro Bowl performer has the third-longest active streak among offensive tackles with 92 consecutive starts. Only Cleveland's Joe Thomas (156) and Oakland's Donald Penn (152) have started more consecutive games.

Staley’s availability for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium is in question after he was held out of practice on Thursday after going through the full workload on Wednesday.

If Staley is unable to play, the 49ers would likely move left guard Zane Beadles to left tackle and insert Andrew Tiller at left guard. Tiller started the first five games of the season at right guard before rookie Joshua Garnett took over.

“You can bet that the men and women we honor today, and those who died that fateful morning 75 years ago, never took a knee and never failed to stand whenever they heard our national anthem being played."

Many of those in attendance gave the Admiral a standing ovation.

During the preseason, Kaepernick remained seated on the 49ers' team bench during the national anthem.

After sparking a national controversy, Kaepernick began kneeling as opposed to sitting.

After the 49ers' loss to the Bears on Sunday, Kaepernick said he will continue his demonstration moving forward.

"Today we have a precious opportunity to reflect -- to reflect on what it means to be a patriot, to reflect on what it means to be a nation tested by war, and to reflect on both the costs and the blessings of liberty," Admiral Harris added. "To America's World War II patriots here and watching at home -- we will never forget your courage under considerable fire and seemingly insurmountable odds.

"Because of you, our future remains bright. We owe you an immeasurable debt and we can't thank you enough for answering the call of duty when Lady Liberty needed it the most."